A long way down

DRC: From Kabila to Tshisekedi, the story of Beya’s fall from grace

By Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala

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Posted on February 18, 2022 15:50

Firefox_Screenshot_2022-02-18T08-37-18.399Z François Beya, security advisor to Félix Tshisekedi © Montage JA; Saad for JA — François Beya, security advisor to Félix Tshisekedi © Montage JA; Saad for JA

François Beya, the president’s security advisor, was arrested on 5 February on suspicion of undermining state security. This is a very serious accusation to level against a man who has a reputation for being untouchable and who, since Mobutu’s regime, has navigated his way into the heart of power.

Although the day was already well underway, Beya had just gotten out of the shower. Had he decided to take his time, since it was the start of the weekend? Or had the February heat made him want to go back to the bathroom? In any case, at around 1pm, he heard men banging on his door at his home in Kinshasa’s Gombe district.

The commotion caught him off guard. He dressed up hastily while agents from the Agence Nationale de Renseignements (ANR) entered the premises. His phone and that of his wife were confiscated. Jean-Hervé Mbelu Biosha, head of the ANR, presented Beya with a letter instructing him to follow them.

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